Forestry Statistics 2016 - Environment

Woodland Fires

The Home Office and Devolved Administrations produce estimates of the number and area of wildfires each year, using data recorded by Fire and Rescue Services using the Incident Reporting System. These figures were previously produced by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

By analysing the wildfire data with the National Forest Inventory woodland map, it has been possible to produce estimates of fires that occur within woodlands in Great Britain.

Table 5.2a shows the number of woodland fires in 2010-11 to 2014-15. There has been some fluctuation in the number of woodland fires in Great Britain over this period, with a high of around 11 thousand fires in 2011-12 and a low of around 2,400 in 2012-13. Most fires occurred in England.

The total number of woodland fires in Great Britain in 2014-15 (around 3,300) represents 3% of the total of around 106,300 outdoor fires in Great Britain in 2014-15 (Home Office, Welsh Government, Scottish Government).

Table 5.2a Number of woodland fires

Financial year

England

Wales

Scotland

GB

2010-11

6 182

618

1 186

7 986

2011-12

9 360

620

1 059

11 039

2012-13

1 794

176

484

2 454

2013-14

3 899

512

776

5 187

2014-15

2 360

410

490

3 260

Source: Incident Recording System (Department for Communities and Local Government, Scottish Government), National Forest Inventory.

These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics.

Table 5.2b shows the area covered by woodland fires between 2010-11 and 2014-15. There was a peak of around 8,500 hectares burnt in 2011-12, with the vast majority of this area occurring in Scotland.

Around 900 hectares of woodland in Great Britain were burnt in 2014-15.

Table 5.2b Area of woodland fires

Financial year

England

Wales

Scotland

GB

hectares

2010-11

979

167

129

1 276

2011-12

279

216

7 982

8 476

2012-13

48

107

268

424

2013-14

101

1 089

318

1 508

2014-15

81

39

762

882

Source: Incident Recording System ((Department for Communities and Local Government, Scottish Government), National Forest Inventory.